The Wyandotte Thread

[Bleenie]

Here's a couple pictures of Rylie, aka: miss fluffy butt.

 

[mema2003]

I am looking for a BLRW rooster. How much would one of those cost. I live in West Tennessee. Thanks for your time.

 

[NanaKat]

And several of my layers in the CW pen have decided to try going broodie! I want 50 chicks out of each pen first so will watch them closely and put them in hanging cages in the sun to break them. I've already had six broodies this winter. One I was able to break and place in a breeder pen. Two others are rearing chicks and three are sitting.

The first .batch of chicks from collected pen eggs comes out of the hatcher on the 20th and will go under the three laying hens that are already sitting on eggs. I pulled their eggs a week ago and set them in the bator. Then I gave each a new set of eggs. the first set of eggs hatched this week and those chicks were given to a hen with two chicks. Their second set of eggs will go into the incubator for their final 7 days.

This means these three hens have been sitting on eggs for 4 weeks each, partially brooding two sets of eggs and will now mother about 50 chicks between them. I had to stretch out their broodie behavior a week to match the hatching window on the big batch...and it appears to be working.
I much prefer letting broody hens foster incubated chicks because they make wonderful mothers and the chicks are sooooo much stronger.

These broodies include a Cochin, and two Cochin/Wyandotte hens. Fortunately, I also have two Australorp hens that attach themselves to any errant chick and take them on as foster chicks. the two hens with babies right now are first time moms and are doing a great job. One is a Columbian Wyandotte and one is a Cochin. I have set up a 15 x 25 foot pen on new grass beside the goose pen as the grow out area for these chicks and hens when the chicks hit the ground at two weeks of age. That gives me time to finish their coop.

 

[Texasmja]

And several of my layers in the CW pen have decided to try going broodie! I want 50 chicks out of each pen first so will watch them closely and put them in hanging cages in the sun to break them. I've already had six broodies this winter. One I was able to break and place in a breeder pen. Two others are rearing chicks and three are sitting.

The first .batch of chicks from collected pen eggs comes out of the hatcher on the 20th and will go under the three laying hens that are already sitting on eggs. I pulled their eggs a week ago and set them in the bator. Then I gave each a new set of eggs. the first set of eggs hatched this week and those chicks were given to a hen with two chicks. Their second set of eggs will go into the incubator for their final 7 days.

This means these three hens have been sitting on eggs for 4 weeks each, partially brooding two sets of eggs and will now mother about 50 chicks between them. I had to stretch out their broodie behavior a week to match the hatching window on the big batch...and it appears to be working.
I much prefer letting broody hens foster incubated chicks because they make wonderful mothers and the chicks are sooooo much stronger.

These broodies include a Cochin, and two Cochin/Wyandotte hens. Fortunately, I also have two Australorp hens that attach themselves to any errant chick and take them on as foster chicks. the two hens with babies right now are first time moms and are doing a great job. One is a Columbian Wyandotte and one is a Cochin. I have set up a 15 x 25 foot pen on new grass beside the goose pen as the grow out area for these chicks and hens when the chicks hit the ground at two weeks of age. That gives me time to finish their coop.

It is so much easier for the hen to raise them. Last year I had a hen that had been laying for about 1 month go broody. My roos were babies so no eggs were fertile. I gave her a dozen of chicks and she raised them and loved them so much. Then at 6 weeks they were huge and still wanted to sleep under her, they would cry if she didn't let them. To give her a break I moved her to another yard and left the chicks with a young cockerel. He raised them and did an awesome job. After that I gave the cockerel 27 more chicks and he raised them too.

The two BLRW cockerels I have were raised by my old SLW cock. One of the BLRW cockerels has three young 6-10 weeks old that he is raising. He is great with them too.

 

[NanaKat]

Yes, Wyandotte Roos are wonderful! I love this photo of my CW roo Beau when he gave a hen a break from sitting on the eggs.

 

[ki4got]

It is so much easier for the hen to raise them. Last year I had a hen that had been laying for about 1 month go broody. My roos were babies so no eggs were fertile. I gave her a dozen of chicks and she raised them and loved them so much. Then at 6 weeks they were huge and still wanted to sleep under her, they would cry if she didn't let them. To give her a break I moved her to another yard and left the chicks with a young cockerel. He raised them and did an awesome job. After that I gave the cockerel 27 more chicks and he raised them too.

The two BLRW cockerels I have were raised by my old SLW cock. One of the BLRW cockerels has three young 6-10 weeks old that he is raising. He is great with them too.

isn't it amazing how the roos 'adopt' babies? they want nothing to do with the little ones but once they start getting interesting then he's got somethng to do. LOL my blrw roo 'babysits' my baby cochin flock quite often.

 

[NanaKat]

Yes, Wyandotte Roos are wonderful! I love this photo of my CW roo Beau when he gave a hen a break from sitting on the eggs.

Here is the correct picture....

 

[Texasmja]

isn't it amazing how the roos 'adopt' babies? they want nothing to do with the little ones but once they start getting interesting then he's got somethng to do. LOL my blrw roo 'babysits' my baby cochin flock quite often.

It is awesome to have them raised with an older "leader" because it really keeps the cockerels in check, imo. When I went to the show last week I met a sweet lady who breeds/shows buff geese. She said she has her males raise the babies, her theory is it makes them better fathers if the boys are raised by the males.

Do other breeds of poultry (roos) do well raising chicks to?

I have had experience with two other breeds and neither were good with chicks. Only my Wyandottes were for me...

 

[Texasmja]

Yes, Wyandotte Roos are wonderful! I love this photo of my CW roo Beau when he gave a hen a break from sitting on the eggs.

What a great rooster, I had one that used to sit in the nest box with the hens, or atleast try and squeeze into the box.

 

[DMRippy]

I often find my Wyandotte roos in the nest boxes after the girls get out.... never thought they wanted the babies too LOL

BTW 3 More SLW chicks hatched

SLOWLY I am getting some babies.

MY Splash Laced Red started laying again. I guess she is recovered from her injuries from the roo..... now what to do with her???? I guess I will put her with the older roo and maybe the younger roo with a couple of hens. Maybe they will teach him some manners. LOL.... note to self.... MUST TRIM HIS TOE NAILS!